The invention relates to an apparatus for shaping compositions, used in the manufacture of confectionery, into strands of material, which apparatus is particularly suitable for processing all compositions which are plastic in the cold or hot state, such as marzipan, fondant, nut compositions, fruit compositions, fudge, caramel, aerated nougat, French nougat, coconut compositions and the like. German Patent Specifications Nos. 709,087 and 630,900 have already disclosed apparatuses for shaping pieces of confectionary, in which, in each case, a rotating pair of rollers forming the bottom of a material feed hopper is used, one roller being equipped with moulding recesses whilst the roller resting against it merely serves to force the composition into these moulding recesses. However, devices of this type are unsuitable for the production of strands of material because only very supple and soft compositions can be forced, without a break, from one side into the moulding recesses of one roller, whilst the subsequent release of the strands from the recesses is difficult in the case of numerous compositions, especially sugar compositions, and leads to a deformation of the strand profiles.
On the other hand, extruder presses with, as a rule, knurled pressure rollers are known, by means of which the compositions are forced into a small pressure chamber located underneath the rollers and are shaped into strands by being released from there through a die nozzle. In these presses, the disadvantages found are that the required high pressures cause fat to exude from the compositions, change the structure of the composition and compress aerated compositions.
Since the pressures cannot be distributed uniformly over the working width, unequal strands, and fluctuations in weight, result. Furthermore, only a limited effect on the temperature of the compositions is feasible, and the machine is difficult to clean, resulting in losses of material.
It is the object of the invention to eliminate these shortcomings and to provide an apparatus which makes it possible, in an extremely simple and clean manner, to form strands from a diversity of compositions and composition mixtures, which strands can subsequently be sub-divided into individual pieces, bars or the like and can be processed further. According to the invention, this is achieved by an arrangement wherein a gap is left between the two rollers which form the bottom of the material feed hopper, in which gap is inserted a strand-forming device which matches the periphery of both rollers.